Buying Used Pianos: Smart Consumer Tips and Advice

Buying used
pianos is a very personal thing, which is like
shopping for intimate apparel. A used piano is not always a way to
save on piano purchases. Take note that some pianos become more
expensive as the years go by. In fact, some of these old pianos
eventually become collector's items.

Do Your Homework

Don't fall for any old piano sold or advertised on the Internet.
It will still be in the buyer's best interest to personally inspect
the piano in question. Just like any antique that people buy,
remember that you should not judge a piano by how it looks like on
the outside. In fact, even a good looking new piano might be a
bothersome instrument if you inspect its insides.

Newspapers and the Internet are not the only places to look for
an old piano. Look for music departments in various schools and ask
if they have any pianos that they plan to retire soon. Pianos and
other musical instruments that are to be retired are usually sold
at more affordable prices.

The next question that needs to be answered is who the previous
owner of the said instrument was and how much was it used or
played. This will help people decide whether used pianos are still playable or how much of its
usable life is left. Expect pianos retired from concert halls to
require more care since they have tend to have been used more
often.

Determine the Piano's Age

Another way to identify whether an old piano is still playable
is to determine its age. To do this, check out the manufacturer's
name. This usually located on the exterior of the instrument or
somewhere near the keyboard.

After identifying the piano's brand, locate its serial number.
Check the inside of the piano and look for the metal plate where
its serial number is engraved. Sometimes both the brand and serial
number of the piano is engraved on this plate.

Using the brand and serial number, check the manufacturer's
website or other online resources to determine the age of the said
musical instrument. Take note that vertical pianos manufactured
prior to the 1930s of whatever brand are usually difficult to bring
to a playable condition. Repairing such instruments might cost you
quite a considerable sum of money.

Check the Musical Instrument's Sound
Quality

Of course, after inspecting the physical condition of the piano,
check out how it sounds. You might want to hire a piano technician
to inspect used pianos to get a second opinion before committing to
purchase an item.

If you're on a tight a budget, you might want to consider a
second hand piano. Here are some tips and advice on what to look
for second hand pianos.